|
Ciao to comb-overs. Buh-bye
rugs and plugs. The shaved head has become an accepted
solution to male hair loss and a symbol of modern style.
According to statistics
from Conair, some 22 million men ages 22 to 65 shave
their heads regularly. And men's fashion pundits approve
... mainly.
"At the moment, it's
perfectly fine to shave your head. You don't need
hair," says Adam Rapoport, style editor of GQ
magazine. "It's common for guys on Wall Street, to
captains of industry, to lawyers, to celebrities, to
guys at the gym."
Brian Boye, Men's Health
fashion and grooming director, agrees. "It's become
mainstream. Men can have long hair, short hair, and now
they can have no hair. It's a style statement. Being
bald says, 'I'm confident, strong, this is me.'"
The popularity of the
style is underscored by a variety of products — from
razors designed specifically for the scalp to grooming
products to soothe bumps and reduce shine.
So how did the evolution
from hair-worshiping society to chrome-dome nation
occur? Todd Green, who introduced a razor called
Headblade back in 1999, says one push came around the
year 2000 "when the military officially approved
head shaving. The government realized it was not a
trend," Green says. That's true, says Lt. Col.
Christopher Garver, an Army spokesman at the Pentagon.
"We don't consider it a faddish haircut."
But pre-military and post
Mr. Clean and Yul Brynner, we mustn't forget the
"Michael Jordan effect," Green says. The
basketball star took it off in the late '80s, and
inspired pro-athletes everywhere to do the same.
Today, Boye says,
"Men are looking more toward Hollywood and
entertainers for their cues." Early headshavers
included Bruce Willis and Vin Diesel. Comedian Howie
Mandell and rocker Chris Daughtry have also opted out of
hair.
But hold on. "Don't
do it reflexively," Rapoport says. "It's not a
democratic style. If you're a pale dude, with a weak jaw
line and a few extra pounds, you might not look as good
as others." Consider just buzzing it super short
(think Jason Statham), and don't underestimate the power
of facial hair. "Go really short on your head, and
leave a little stubble on your face."
|
